Walking toy-horse



H. LOOMIS. WALKING TOY HORSE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I, I919- Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

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WITNESSES 4 TTORNEYS A. H. LOOMIS.

WALKING TOY HORSE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-2|, 1919.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

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WITNESSES & 2% )4 77081115 rs I To all 'whomz't may concern:

ARTHUR H. LOOMIS, OF LAS GRUC ES, NEW MEXICO.

WALKING TOY I-IORSE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

Application filed August 21, 1919. Serial No. 318,962.

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. LOOMIS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Las Cruces, in the county of Dona Ana and State of NewMexico, have invented new and useful Improvements in Walking Toy Horses,of which the following is a speci fication.

This invention relates to amusement devices and has for its object theprovision of a 'toy horse which is provided with means whereby its legsmay be moved by an operator seated upon the horse whereby the devicewill progress with a walking action.

An important object is the provision of a toy horse of this character inwhich the head is swingable laterally to effect steering, connectionbeing provided between the head and the front legs whereby the frontlegs may be turned in the desired direction'while not interfering withthe walking action.

Another object is the provision of a device of this character which isso constructed as to be operable by comparatively slight presation, anda general improvement in the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view the inventionconsists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings inwhich Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the device,

one of the hubs showing the mechanism therein. Y

Referringmore particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designatesthe body of the device which is formed as the representation of a horsethough ofcourse it will be readily understood that it might have the'semblance of .any other animal if desired. This body 10 is formedpreferably of sheet metal pressed into shape and includes complementarysections 11 and 12 meeting at the longitudinal center of the animal.These sections are connected adjacent the back of the horse bytransverse rods or bolts 13 which extend through bracing blocks 14.Adjacent the hind quarters of the body is provided another transverserod 16- which serves also to hold the sections together. Adjacent theshoulders is also provided another transverse rod 17 for the samepurpose and also for another purpose to be described. The top portion ofthe body is suitably stamped to provide a saddle 18 upon which theoperator sits. The forward portion of the body is formed to provide aneck portion 19 and telescopically received within this neck portion isthe head portion 20 which is of similar construction to the body andthis head portion is pivotally mounted for lateral swinging movement bymeans of a pivot rod 21. The head portion has connected therewith asuitable bridle 22 which extends preferably around the horn 23of thesaddle in convenient position to be held by the operator- The numerals24 and 25 designate the right and left rear legs which carry at theirupper ends bars 26 and 27 which are pivoted upon the transverse rod 16and which extend through openings 28 in the bottom of the body. Disposedat the front of the body are right and left front legs 29 and 30 whichcarry at their upper ends bars 31 and 32, respectively, which extendthrough an opening 33 in the bottom of the body. Disposed over theopening 33 is a turn-table formed as a disk 34 having openings 35therein throu h which the bars 31 and 32 extend, these ars beingpivotally mounted upon a transverse .rod 35 which terminates at or shortof the edges of the disk 34. Dis- I posed within recesses around theopening 33 are rollers 36 and the disk 34 carries on its under side ametal wear plate 37 engaging upon these rollers. Also journaled uponupright studs 38 is a series of vertical rollers 39 which bear againstthe periphery of the disk and the purpose of the rollers 36 and 39 is topermit free revolubility of the turntable with the minimum degree offriction. Extending upwardly from the disk 34 is a shaft 40 having itsup er end journaled in a suitable end thrust bearing 41 and providedintermediate its ends with the crank portion 42. Secured within the headportion 20 is a rod 43 upon which is mounted tor pulls the bridle 22 andconsequently moves the horses head laterally the shaft 40 will beaccordingly partially rotated which will result in turning of the disk34 which carries the forward legs 29 and 30. In this way steering of thedevice is accomplished.

n order to effect movement of the legs, I provide a flexible member 48which is provided at its ends with stirrups 49 and 50 disposedconveniently with respect to the saddle 18. This flexible member has itsend portions extending through holes 51 in the sections 11 and 12.Journaled upon each section above the hole 51' is a pulley 52 over whichthe flexible member is trained. Disposedu-pon the transverse rod 17 arepulleys 53 and '54 and the portion of the flexible member extending fromthe stirrup 49, after passing over the adjacent roller 52 is trainedabout the pulley 53 from which point it leads to and is connected withthe bar, 32,

as shown at 55, from which point it leadsbackwardly within the body 10and is connected with the member 27, as shown at 56. From this point thecable is trained about a pair of pulleys 57 mounted in guide sheaves 58and is then connected with the bar 26, as

shown at 59. From this point the cable 5- leads to and isconnected withthe bar 31, as

shown at 60, and from this point it leads to and is trained about thepulley 54 and then over the opposite pulley 52 adjacent the stirrup 50.

Within each hoof portion of the legs is journaled a roller 61 whichcarries a ratchet 62 engaged by a gravitational pivoted pawl 63.

The operation of the device is as follows:

T he operator seats himself upon the saddle 18. places his feet in thestirrups 49 and 50 and holds the bridle 22. In order to actuate thedevice the operator presses alternately upon the stirrups. Assuming thatthe parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, when the operator pressesupon the stirrup 49, which is at this time elevated, a pull will beeffected on the cable 48 which will result in pulling the bars 32 and 27forwardly and in pulling the bars 31 and 26 rearwardly which will resultin forward movement of the right legs 29 and 24, the rollers61 rollingfreely upon the surface traveled over. Owing to the provision of thepawls 63 engaging the ratchets 62 in the hubs it will be seen thatrearward movement of the left legs 30 and 25 will be prevented so thatthe device will move forwardly with respect to the rollers carried bythese legs, the right legs taking a new step as described. After thestirrup 49 has been depressed to its maximum extent the stirrup 50 willbe elevated, and the operator then presses downwardly thereupon whichwill result in the left legs 25 and 30 taking a forward step. As therollers cannot have retrograde movement it will be seen that the devicewill be advanced continually step by step as the stirrups are operated.

When it is desired to turn it is merely necessary that the operator pullupon the bridle to turn the head 20 inthe desired direction, whereuponthe turn-table will be turned and the front legs correspondingly turnedwithout in any way interfering with their walking action. a

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will beapparent that I have thus provided a simply constructed and operateddevice in the nature of a hobby horse which will have a walking action,which may be steered and which will be consequently highly entertainingand amusing.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention it is 'of course to be understood that I reserve the right tomake such changes in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts aswill not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of thesubjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, l

claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a body formed as therepresentation of an animal and including mating sections securedtogether, said body being hollow and includmg a neck portion, a headportion pivoted within said neck portion for lateral swinging movement,a bridle connected with said head portion whereby to eflect movementthereof, a turntable mounted within the forward portion of said body atthe bottom thereof, said body being provided with an opening beneathsaid turntable and said turntable being provided with front legs pivotedwithin said last named openings and extending up into said body, a crankshaft extendin upwardly from said turntable, a train of evers connectedwith said head portion and said crankshaft, the rear portion of saidbody being provided with openings in the bottom thereof, rear legsextending through said last named openings and pivoted within said body,a pair of pulleys journaled within the front and rear portions of saidbody, a flexible member extending into the sides of the body, trainedabout said pulleys and connected with said legs, and stirrups on theends of said flexible member.

7 2. A device of the character described comprising a hollow body formedas the representation of an animal, front legs ex tending upwardly intosaid body and pivoted therein, rear legs extending upwardly openings,

Within said body having its ends disposed externally thereof, stirrupson the ends of said flexible member, guide pulleys Within said body atthe forward and rear ends thereof, and said flexible member beingtrained about said" With said legs.

3. A device of the character described comprising a body formed as therepresentation of an animal, rear legs extending into said body andpivotally mounted therein front legs extending into said body andpivotally mounted, rollers carried by the lower ends of all bf said legsand movable in one direction only, and means for moving said legscomprising guide pulleys jourpulleys and connected naled Within saidbody'at the front and rear portions thereof, a flexible member trainedabout said pulleys, connected with the upper ends of said legs andhaving its end portions extending outsidesaid body, and

fstirrups on the ends of said flexible member.

4. A device of the character described comprising a body, rear legsextending into said body and pivotally mounted, the forward portionofsaid body, being provided in its bottom with an opening, *a turntablemounted within said body above said opening, a shaft extending upwardlyfrom said turntable and having a crank portion, front legs extendingthrough said opening and pivotally mounted within openings in saidturntable, and means connected with said crank portion for moving saidturntable,

and means for moving said legs step by step. 7

' ARTHUR H. LOOMIS.

